The Characters

(The Summary of “Ibong Adarna”)

Major characters:

Ibong Adarna (Adarna bird)

An enchantress bird. It has a very long fancy tail with numerous shiny metallic colors. It knows a total of seven songs that are believed to lull anyone to sleep as well as cure any type of afflictions and it changes its feathers into more colorful hues and shades after each song. After the last song, it excretes waste, then finally, sleeps with its eyes wide open. When Adarna bird is sad, it looks very ugly and hopeless. It is believed that its droppings can turn any living things into stone.

King Fernando

Great ruler of Berbania kingdom.

Queen Valeriana

Faithful wife of King Fernando and a loving mother to her three sons : Don Pedro, Don Diego and Don Juan.

Don Pedro

Eldest son of the King and Queen. He is a deceitful man, very envious and greedy of power.

Don Diego

The second son, he does not have his own decision. He follows whatever his older brother, Don Pedro tells him to do.

Don Juan

The youngest of the siblings. He is a man of integrity and compassion. These good qualities makes him the King's favorite child.

Minor characters:

Old leper

The old man who advices Don Juan to seek for the hermit’s cottage and ask for an advise on how to get the Adarna bird without any harm.

Hermit

The old man who advices Don Juan on how to successfully get the Adarna bird.

Princess Juana

The princess whom Don Juan rescues from a giant who holds her in custody.

Princess Leonora

Younger sibling of Princess Juana. Don Juan also rescues her from the serpient with seven heads.

King Salermo

Ruler of the kingdom of De los Crystal with black magical powers. He is the father of Doña Maria Blanca.

Princess Maria Blanca

The princess of De los Crystal kingdom. She has white magical powers, which is greater than her father, King Salermo.